Receptacle and cap therefor



R. B. BENJAMIN RECEPTACLE AND CAP THEREFOR June 17 1924.

Filed July 14, 1920 Wit'orn eyx Patented June 17, 1924..

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REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, QF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOE TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC IANUFAGTUWG COMPANY, OF; CHICAGO, ILLLDTOIS, A COR'EQRATION OF ILLINQIS.

REGEPTACLE AND GAP Application filed July is, 1920, semi an. new.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be-it lmown that I, REUBEN B. BEN- JAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chica' 0, in the county of Cook and gatate of I linois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rece tacles and Caps Therefor (Case 412), of WhlCl'l. the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. v I

My invention relates to electrical connector devices, and more specifically to an electrical receptacle and cap therefor.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved receptacle which will center caps having comparatively narrow blades for carrying a comparatively light current, and which will also center caps having comparatively wide blades for carrying comparatively hi h current. This enables the receptacle to e used with the 10 am ere cap most commonly in use, and also with the 20 ampere cap used for heavy dut and insures that the ca in both cases wil be properly centered. t will also enable the receptacles which may have been installed for a low voltage system (and hence requiring a comparatively high amperage to be used) to be used with a low amperagecap in case the low voltage system should be changed over to a high voltage system. This latter has particular reference to farm lighting systems which now usually operate on 32 volts, but which may in the future in many instances be replaced by the usual 125 volts system, so that they could then use the lower amperage cap.

Further objects will appear from the de taild description to follow and from the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which two embodiments of my invention are shown:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle, and a wide blade cap used in connection therewith;

, Fig. 2 is an axial section of the receptacle and cap shown in Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a. section on t e line 3-3 of Fig 2;

1g. 4.- is a section on the has 4-4 of.

Fig; 2;

ig. 5 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, but showing the narrow blade cap in position;

F 6 is a plan view of the wide blade Fig. 7 is a lan view of a modified form of receptacle iaving aligned slots indicating the position of the contact blades with the high amperage capyand Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rece tacle .shown in Fig. 7 indicating the bla es of the low amperage cap in position. The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive comprises in a general way a receptacle 10, a high amperage wide bladed cap 11, which will cooperate in a ractical manner with the receptacle 10, an a narrow bladed low amperage cap 12 (Fig. 5) which will also cooperate properly with the receptacle 10, the construction being such that both of the caps 11 and 12 will be properly centered with respect to the receptacle when inserted therein.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, this centering is accomplished by providing the receptacle portion 10 with two elongated parallel slots 13 offset with respect to each other. As shown in Fig. 5, these slots 13 have portions 14 located directly opposite each other of sufiicient extent to receive the narrow contact blades 15 of the low amperage ca 12, which blades are paralleland locate directly opposite each other. The location of these slots is such that one edge of each of the narrow contact blades will be substantially in engagement with an end wall of the slots 13, so that the cap is centered As shown in Fig. ithe slots 13 are just long enough to properly receive the wide contact blade 16 of the igh amperage cap 11, and to hold the cap 11 against any sub-. stantial movement in either direction when it is inserted.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6 the wide blades 16 of the high amperage cap 11 are located parallel to each other but ar offset with respect to each other so that they will properly enter the slot 13 of the receptacle.

he'se blades are made short enough so that the cap can be separated from the rece tacle by an angular break, which results If the cor}? secured to the cap is given a 'side wise er As shown in Fig. 2, the receptacle 10 is provided with a pair of spring finger contact devices 17, which are so constructed that they will cooperate properly both with the narrow blades of the low amperage cap and with the blades of the high amperage cap. Each of these spring finger contact devices comprises two U-shaped spring contact fingers 18 and 19 respectivel which between them embrace the'blade o the cap. In order to hold the cap in place after it has'been inserted, the spring contact fingers 19 are provided with openin s 20, to receive struckup projections 21 (Fig. 1) on the contact blades of the cap. The spring contact devices 17 are mounted on the main base portion 21 of the receptacle, and are covered by the insulating cover portion 22, in which the slots 13 are located.-

Each of the contact blades 16 may be formed as an integral part of a sheet metal stamping, which metal stamping comprises also a binding plate ortion 23,- for the binding screw 24 for t e conductor which is secured to the cap.

The circuit is obvious fromthe description of the construction, as is also the manner in which the connector. is used. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the construction is such that the wide blade high amperage cap will be held against lateral shifting movement and also the low amperage narrow bladed cap will be held from shifting bv engagement of the edges of the blades with the end walls of the slots,

Referring specifically to the narrow bladed low amperage cap, and referring partiqularly to Fig. 5, the cap will be prevented from slippin down by the engagement of the lower e ge of the left-hand contact blade 12 with the lower edge of the lefthand slot 13, while the cap will be prevented from slip in up by engagement of the P it upper edgeo he right-hand contact blade 15, with the upper edge of the slot 14, the movement in. both directions being thus prevented, and the cap being effectually centered in position. 7

As shown in Fig. 3 the construction of the spring contact devices 17 is such that they will engage properly either the wide blade cap or the narrow blade cap.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the receptacle 25 shown,

therein may be substantially the same as the receptacle 10 previously described, except As shown in Fig. 7 the distance between the adjacent edges of the wide contact blades 29 is also substantially the same as the distance between the adjacent edges of the slots 27, so that the wideblade cap is also held from lateral slipping in either direction. The length of the slot is just great enough to properly accommodate the wide contact blades 29.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1'. A receptacle having contacts for en-' gaging alternatively the blades of either a wide contact blade cap, or a narrow contact blade cap, and means whereby each of said caps will be centered with respect to the receptacle, said means comprising a cover having two elongated parallel slots offset with respect to each other, said parallel slots having portions directly opposite each other long enough to receive the narrow contact blade.

2. A receptacle having contacts provided with means for engaging alternatively the blades of either a wide contact blade cap or a narrow contact blade cap, and means whereby each of said caps will be centered with respect to said receptacle comprising a cover having two elongated slots extending in the same direction, long enough to receive the wide contactiblades, said slots being offset edgewise with respect to an axial plane perpendicular tosaid slots, the edges of said slots nearest the axis of the plug being positionedto be snugly engaged by the edges of the blades ofanarrow blade cap.v whereby said narrow blade gap will becentered with respect to said receptacle.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN.- 

